I Am Me
by maxtreme225
Summary: Join Malcolm and his family as he struggles through Harvard and other whatnots life throws at them...includes a tiny bit of romance, action, comedy and confusion...c'est la vie. Such is life. Please R&R!
1. Mornings

Hello!!!! Finally posting something up after…who cares?! I'm posting again. For some weird reason, I got back into the mood for lots of MITM. I really miss the show, I do. AND I DIDN'T EVEN REALISE IT WAS THE FINAL SEASON!!! Was just busy with school and blahs and other whatnots. Thought I'd read up MITM here but it was sorely lacking in quantity (I realize the HP fics increase by the hundreds every other week). So, just because the MITM series is over doesn't mean it has to remain dead.

With that out of my system, enjoy this oneshot I came up with. And after reading, you can of course proceed to the section that enables you to review the story. Flame me (reasonably of course), praise me, write gibberish, give constructive feedback (preferred) for the fic, whatever. Just…give me a reason to check my email inbox ok?

The paragraphs in **_bold italics_** are Malcolm's thoughts. You know, when he turns to the screen and talks to us all.

* * *

Malcolm sighed as he placed his calculus assignment into his homework folder. He was flat out exhausted. Between mopping the hallways, helping out at the cafeteria, working at a bookstore, attending classes and finishing assignments, he rarely has any more time to himself. Stuffing his pencil case into his bag pack, Malcolm was just about to clear up when he remembered Professor Sullivan's essay, due on the next day.

**_Just when I thought I could sleep early today. But hey, Mom wanted me to suffer. Can't disappoint HER. Every time I call her, not that I want to but…you know her, she will immediately demand a progress report on everything. From my grades to my financial status to my friends and even to the cleanliness of my laundry. Or lack thereof. I think if it wasn't for Jamie and the lack of cash, she'd be living with me. In the dorm. But I really shouldn't be thinking about this right now. Not if I want to sleep peacefully tonight. Anyway, This Professor Sullivan, he is the coolest teacher ever. He gives out work like clouds give rain but will allow us to choose what to hand in, as long as we meet a quota. That's only for his own assessment though. The rest can be used for extra credit. And I'll need all the credit I can get to survive Mom._**

Malcolm stared wistfully at his clock on the table. 12:39 am. Praying that he had not left any notes he might need in his broom closet/locker, he reached for his laptop that was he was charging in the corner. His laptop. Malcolm smiled. One of the first things he needed but realized he did not have when he first started college was a laptop. He had used his hard earned savings for the brand new HewlettPackard beauty he now owns (Lois: A SECOND HAND ONE WOULD HVE BEEN JUST FINE!! AND WHY CAN'T YOU JUST WRITE OUT YOUR ESSAYS?!), supplemented by some cash from Francis who insisted that the money was a belated congratulatory gift for emerging as Valedictorian of his cohort. At first Malcolm had resisted since Piama was pregnant (Lois: UNEMPLOYED AND HAVING A BABY!!! ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND!!! ) and Francis could use the money for whatever babies needed.

**_Francis still hasn't told Mom he has a perfectly stable job. Heard he got a promotion. He shouldn't have given me the money. But hey, since he insisted…_**

Malcolm checked through his documents for any notes he had saved that could help with his essay. Surprisingly, it seemed he had started on the essay around two days ago. He even seemed to have finished half of it. For the first time that night, Malcolm smiled.

**_Maybe I'll get to sleep early after all. _**

* * *

****

It was six o'clock when Malcolm's alarm went off.

"Shut that thing off Malcolm. And get up," grumbled Freddy.

**_Freddy Jackson is my roommate and partner in crime in Harvard. He's the kind of guy who laughs at people then apologizes. He has a brain and uses it well. His father is a lawyer so he doesn't really have to worry about cash though he still works at this really classy café in town on weekends for extra spending money. He says hi to me in the hallways, even when I'm mopping the floor, and is never afraid to ask me for help with his homework, unlike those other snobs who couldn't bear the idea of the assistant school janitor giving them tuition. Hah. Safe to say I have at least one friend in Harvard._**

"Get up Malcolm, someone has to unlock the lecture halls _before _the lectures begin," groaned Freddy, "Or just shut that thing off."

"I'm up," muttered Malcolm, slamming his alarm clock into blissful silence.

**_And he's not really a morning person._**

Malcolm trudged from his bed, grabbed a towel and some clothes as well as the keys to the showers. Without another word, he left his dorm, leaving Freddy to sleep.

* * *

Walking back towards his dorm after a refreshingly freezing shower, Malcolm shivered his way back to his dorm, passing by a couple of early birds on their way to the showers.

"Hi Malcolm, you done with Sully's essay?" greeted on of them.

"Ye-ye-ye-Yeah," replied Malcolm, "Le-le-la-Laura."

**_Damn, even with my clothes on, its still freezing in the mornings here. And check out how intelligent I was with Laura. Every time a hot chick says something to me, I become Einstein's complete opposite. Hah, at least I didn't call her Lorry like Freddy did._**

Laura pulled her face into a pitying grimace, "That cold huh?"

Without waiting for a reply, Laura and her friend went on, while Malcolm just continued walking back to his dorm, cursing under his breath.

Just as he walked into his room, Freddy thought it was appropriate to greet him by means of a flying pillow. Malcolm had enough time to just duck (living with Reese was certainly good practice) grab his own pillow and fling it back at Freddy landing right on his face.

_**SCORE!**_

"You're so immature sometimes," Freddy shouted from under his pillow.

Malcolm rolled his eyes and left the room with his bag. Then he stopped, turned back, opened the door, slammed it shut as hard as he could and ran off. Freddy barely had time to register what happened when another guy from the same floor shouted,

"FREDDY!! I WAS SLEEPING!!"

"KEEP IT DOWN MORON!!"

"YOURE GONNA GEDDIT FROM ME!!"

No one heard Malcolm laughing his way to the lecture halls. For him, the day was just beginning.

* * *

That's it folks. Please remember to review. I have decided to continue writing a series of drabbles and one shots, showing bits and pieces of his life. Depends on the response to this fic though. 


	2. Coffee

Hahas. Thanks to those who reviewed the previous story, namely Lacto3.1415 and HiBob. I guess it is true that Malcolm's family is integral in MITM but I may not be able to focus too much on them since Malcolm is in Harvard and they are back at home. I will try to mention them throughout the fics though not all in one. The reason that I made this series of one shots and not an entire story by itself is because it will allow me to focus on his daily trials, a different one each time, instead of an all enveloping plot or problem which will over shadow his struggles. Remember, he wants to be President.

Now that you have endured my yap, please enjoy the following fic.

* * *

Malcolm stared in shock at the letter that Mr. Ramsey, his supervisor, had handed him a few hours ago. The letter succinctly and brutally informed the person it was addressed to, which in this case was Malcolm, that he had been relieved of his employment as an assistant janitor due to budget cuts being conducted by the administration. 

**_They can't do this to me! I'm the smartest janitor they've got!_**

Malcolm was alone in his dorm, with Freddy having classes in the afternoon. It took all of his self-restraint to prevent him from kicking the door, the bed, Freddy's bed and every other furniture in the room. The certainty of having to replace everything with his own cash also helped.

**_Okay Malcolm, think. Maybe this isn't such a bad thing after all. I bet people will stop giving you weird looks every time you clean the female toilets. Like you're a perv or something. You won't have to miss the first ten minutes of calc because someone barfed in the dining hall. You won't have to even concern yourself when the wastepaper baskets are full. _**

Malcolm realized his fingers were shaking and had to force himself to breathe. He read the remaining of the letter out loud, "… will be required to return all keys and other items entrusted to said employee that belongs to the administration. This must be done by the 10th of this month…"

**_That's the end of this week._**

"…will take into affect on the same date. Due to the failure of the administration in notifying the employee of this dismissal at least three weeks prior, the contract signed by all employees of the Harvard College Administration entitles him to three months worth of salary. Please collect the check from the…"

**_Three months worth of pay? At least that gives me time to look for another job. I can't believe I have to give up my keys. That's the only plus I had from being an assistant janitor. Other than a locker the size of a broom cupboard that I will also have to 'return'. Several broom cupboards actually. Damn._**

Malcolm stared dejectedly at the offending piece of paper in his hands. He had not expected this, at least not so soon. And the feelings the letter is inspiring is, at best, surprising.

**_And WHY am I so upset?_**

He always pictured himself as happy when fired from being an assistant janitor. He would have the perfect excuse to find another, more respectable job that does not require him to embarrass himself in front of the other students. Not that Lois had anything to do with it.

**_She'll flay me alive when she finds out._** A**_nd I'll never get to hear the end of it from Reese. He LOVES being a janitor. And...it's only been three monthes._**

Only now did Malcolm realize how being a janitor had become a large part of his first three months of attending college. He became startled at the idea that he was going to miss waking up earlier than everyone else to unlock the facilities or having to rush from restroom cleaning duty to his tutorials. He even thought it gave him a connection to Reese.

**_I can't be THAT pathetic._**

Tossing the letter aside, Malcolm slumped onto his bed, sighing. He will have to get another job. Either that or he would have to look for apartments cheaper than the dorms at Harvard, which will cost him to some money but lesser than if he moved out later.

_**Maybe Freddy can get me job at that café he works in. Wait, I won't be able to work on weekdays and my weekends are already taken by the job at the bookshop. I'll need to get one that allow me to stay in campus and flexible enough to allow me to still attend classes. The pay cannot be lesser than what I made as a janitor AND shouldn't be too draining. Ugh.**_

* * *

Malcolm shivered against a chilly morning wind that was blowing in the Harvard Square where he worked in one of the bookshops. He had decided to work longer hours, starting earlier and ending later, to take full advantage of the shop's policy of paying by the number of hours he worked. 

**_At least until I get another job. I can't believe they refused my application as an assistant groundskeeper. I have mowed the worst-kept lawn in the history of this country and they dare say I was lacking in experience. Can you believe it? How much experience does it take to mow flat patches of grass that doesn't need mowing in the first place?_**

Stopping for a coffee at one of the cafes nearby, Malcolm did a double take on one of the waitresses in the café.

_**Laura? Perfect skin, perfect height, perfect grades and oh so perfect Laura?**_

Puzzled as to why the daughter of, he heard, a bureaucrat is working as a waitress in a café, Malcolm opened his mouth to call to for her before stopping himself.

**_What do I say without sounding like I'm invading her privacy? Maybe I shouldn't say anything. Besides, I'll only end up embarrassing myself. Better get out of here._**

Too late. Just as Malcolm was about to exit the café, Laura looked up from cleaning tables and saw him. Her eyes widened and she dropped the cloth she was holding.

"Malcolm!" she squeaked, as if unable to find her voice, "what are you doing here?"

"Oh…umm…I was just…just getting a cup…I mean coffee. Yeah. A cup of coffee," Malcolm stuttered back, facing the floor.

_**Wow. A cup of coffee. Way to go Malcolm.**_

Malcolm looked up. They stared at each other for what seemed like minutes before Malcolm coughed. Then the dam broke.

"WellifyouwantcoffeeIcangetyou…err...whatever you want," gushed Laura. She then took a deep breath and began to talk in a more understandable pace, "We have espresso, latte, cappuccino and many more. Of course you can add Irish cream or caramel or…whatever you want. I recommend you try our mocha special. We have our very own unique recipe which is very…urm…secret but very cute. Imeangood," Laura blushed but recovered and continued to give Malcolm a very detailed introduction into the café's menu by means of incessant babbling. As she went on, beads of sweat began to appear on her forehead. Both their foreheads.

"I'll just have coffee thanks. Grande. Urm…with cream and sugar," Malcolm interrupted, uncertainty clouding his face, finding it hard to believe that Laura…

_**THE Laura Higgins.**_

… was paying attention to him.

Laura, on the other hand, smiled happily though her face was still reminiscent of a tomato.

"To go?"

"Yeah."

She took a few steps towards the counter, stopped, turned back sharply towards Malcolm, picked up the cloth she dropped from the floor, smiled again and promptly vanished into a door at the back of the small shop. Malcolm stared at the door before moving towards the counter to pay for his order.

"Don't mind Laura," said the matronly woman behind the counter, " its only her second day here."

"Really? She seem to know her stuff pretty well," offered Malcolm, hoping that he hadn't cost Laura her job.

"Well she is bright, I'll give you that. Though her manners could do with some adjustments. Anyway, it'll be three bucks. Would you like a muffin to go along?"

"Nah. Thanks anyway."

The woman nodded and gave a quick smile before turning to the next customer.

Laura came back a few minutes later, during which Malcolm had memorised the address, menu and the operating hours of the cafe.

"Here's your coffee," squeaked Laura, walking towards Malcolm from the door to the back. Her voice seemed to have been lost again in the process of making Malcolm's coffee.

Malcolm took the cup given to him.

"Thanks. The coffee's great," he mumbled before dashing out of the café without looking back.

**_The coffee's great? You haven't even taste it yet you moron. Way to go Malcolm. _**

"Come again!" Laura cried from the entrance.

Malcolm turned and waved before hurrying in the direction of his bookstore.

After Malcolm disappeared from sight, Laura muttered to herself, "Way to go, Laura," before getting back to work.

* * *

Malcolm walked into the bookstore and straight to the room at the back labelled 'Employees Only'. 

"Hey Malcolm," greeted a dark skinned, dark haired and dark eyed boy his age who was unpacking several boxes which Malcolm thought must be the latest arrivals in the store.

"Morning," Malcolm replied.

_**This is Lashman Prasad Kumar. His family came all the way from India so that his father can open a ****a restaurant. Looking at him makes me glad I have four other brothers. Lakshman has six. And two sisters as well. And his Grandmother sounds just as horrible as mine even though he claims she makes the best mango chutney and chicken curry in the country. **_

"The new orders arrived this morning. Chuck said to tell you to mind the store. He's got some errands to run so he'll only be back when your shift is over. I'm gonna have to sort this out," Lakshman glanced at the pile of boxes stacked in the corner, "and get me another scissors will ya? This one's no good."

**_Chuck's my boss. _**

"Sure," Malcolm said, hanging his coat on the rack behind the door before opening a drawer on the table to look for a spare scissors.

Handing Lakshman the scissors, Malcolm went back into the store. He checked that all the books are arranged neatly and in the correct sections. He made sure the books in the display case were the correct ones. After that, he checked the cash register and finally flipped the sign on the door that read 'Open'.

Only then did he take a seat behind the counter and watched as people walked past the shop. Sighing, he took out the accounts ledger book from the drawer under the table and began check through the accounts, a task delegated to him when Chuck found out that he was especially good with numbers. He took a sip from the coffee he bought this morning, cringing slightly at the thought of Laura. Then he stopped. A smile began to form on his lips.

**_Books are safe. They do not stick to your shoes and they do not need to be washed or cleaned other than the occasional dusting. They need to be sorted out in sections and labled accordingly. Then they need to be arranged, preferably in alphabetical order. The environment is perfect for studying. Plus, people, in Harvard at least, hold a certain dgree of respect for those who spend time in a library. And Laura loves books._**

Malcolm cheered up at the thought of a possible new job to replace his janitorial duties. Then he frowned.

**_More work...and I'm HAPPY about it. What is happening to me?_**

_

* * *

_

There it is folks. A continuation of sorts to the previous fic. Please let me know if you are happy with the direction this fic appears to be moving in. Malcolm's family will be making an appearance soon I promise. In the meantime, please let me know what you think by reviewing. I know people are reading……don't make me set Dewey on you. ;P


	3. Lois's Perfect Day

**I hope you enjoy the following one. A big thank you to Lacto3.1415 for reviewing the previous chapter though. I liked this next fic, tell me if you do too. **

Lois smiled as she bent over to pick up a dirty shirt, straightaway stuffing it into the washing machine with the rest of the dirty clothes. Silence. Again, she smiled, looking into the washing machine, staring lovingly at the _small_ pile of dirty clothes in it. She pressed the button. The whirring of the machine pushed the silence away, building up in a slight crescendo as it began to spin faster and faster. Over the whirring, there was still that blanket of sweet, serene silence.

Unable to take it anymore, she burst out laughing. _I'd never thought I'd see the day_, she thought.

_The day when the house is clean and all the chores are done. The lawn, mowed and the fridge, already been cleaned out since yesterday. The day where there are no silly arguments between the boys or vases or china crashing into the ground. There is not a whiff of smoke or socks, thanks to Piama's lovely gift of incense. The sun is shining outside, just longing for company…and its my day off_, Lois's smile got bigger and bigger until the grin ran along her entire face.

Francis and Reese have moved out and are both leading their own lives. Malcolm is studying, not to mention _staying, _at Harvard. Hal is out with Jamie and Dewey at the tracks, probably delirious with happiness from watching cars going around and round in circles. It was just Lois. Lois and, of course, her unborn baby. At the thought of the baby, a shadow came over Lois's face. It wasn't that they didn't want it. They do.

_I guess true peace will only come when I'm old and gray, the children running their own families and Hal doddering about talking about a giant fish he never caught. I'll probably be sitting in this old house, trying new recipes for jams and cupcakes to give to the neighbors, _Lois mused. She knew that when the boys are back and the baby is born, it willll be like old times again.

The soft whirring of the washing machine pulled to a stop and Lois was jolted out of her reverie, realizing with a start that she had been standing at the same spot beside the washing machine for fifteen minutes daydreaming.

_Fifteen whole minutes of daydreaming_, thought Lois happily.

Indeed it was a pleasure that had eluded her ever since she had children. From the first toddler to the next, her world had been a whirlwind of dirty diapers, milk formulas and dinner. Now half of them are out and the other half is nowhere able to disturb her moment of peace.

Pushing a few more buttons to drain the machine, Lois set it on drying mode before making herself a cup of tea. As the water is boiling, Lois opened a jar of peanut butter and began making sandwiches, for herself, humming softly as she did so.

_It's all so perfect, _she thought.

_I think I'll go and call Malcolm. It's about time he knows about the baby._

"WHAT!!" Malcolm gasped into the phone. Freddy gave him a questioning glance over his book before closing it

_From the sounds of it, this is going to be good_, he thought.

"Mom!! What in the- Dewey? Dewey did WHAT!? Oh my god, you can't be serious…" Malcolm remained oblivious to the fact that Freddy had already taken out his phone and, grinning slyly, was recording Malcolm's conversation.

_Finally something to hold against Malcolm_, Freddy thought gleefully, who had already found out about his crush on Professor Lang from the chemistry department through some unidentified means.

"MOM!!! Those were all rare first edition baseball cards! If you had sold them you could have bought a plane ticket here! Why didn't I? Mom, are you even listening? Those were first edition baseball cards. I can't just SELL them…" before Malcolm even finished the sentence, the expression on his face fell into a grimace as he held the phone away from his ear.

Even Freddy stared in wonderment as he heard Lois's voice loud and clear from the phone.

"..DO NOT TALK TO ME LIKE THAT YOUNG MAN!!! I HAVE HALF A MIND TO MARCH THERE AND GIVE YOU A SOUND WHACKING ON YOUR HEAD!! THEY WERE JUST CARDS, HOW WAS I SUPPOSED TO KNOW THEY WERE WORTH THAT MUCH?! AND BY THE WAY! I'm PREGNANT!!!" Lois snarled from the line and with that, the sound of the phone smashing into the receiver resounded through the room like a death bell.

Only after the last sentence did Malcolm's face, which was only a pained grimace before, became a ghostly white, color draining from his face at such an alarming rate Freddy thought he might faint.

"Pregnant?" Malcolm croaked, finally turning to look at Freddy.

Freddy shrugged. He was unsure as to how to react. "Congratulations?"

Malcolm looked pained as he slumped into his own bed.

'I'm going to be sick," he groaned weakly against his pillow.

**_I'm never going to set foot into that house again. Ever._**

* * *

****

Lois smiled as she left her washing out to dry properly. _That went well, _she thought. _Leaving him stunned and unable to react, _she thought dreamily. He'll recover. They always do. Making herself a mental note to look for Malcolm's baseball cards later to sell them, she continued hanging out the clothes.

Making sure the clothes were set out neatly, Lois walked back into the kitchen, placed her basket in its proper spot before making her way to the phone again. _Francis should know too I suppose._

* * *

"Hello," Piama's cheery voice greeted Lois.

"Piama? Hi. This is-,"

"Is that you Lois? Francis is not here, he's out right now," Piama said quickly, " if you want I can pass a message."

"Out? Where did he go, leaving you alone like that? How is the baby?" Lois frowned. _Irresponsible as always, that one._

"Francis he's out wor-," Piama stopped herself just in time, "out walking… the dog."

"Dog? You two have a dog?" Lois voice began to rise.

"Yes," Piama answered weakly, unable to see any way out of her situation. Beads of sweat began appearing on her forehead and her dark eyes were wide with panic.

"Well…I just called to tell you that I'm expecting again. Oh, that's the doorbell, gotta go," Lois said quickly.

_Wow, _thought Piama, _that was quick. _She suddenly smiled. She liked all of Francis's brothers, even Reese, and she knows Francis loves all of his brothers dearly. Maybe one more will do some good. Never mind he freaked out when he found out about Jamie.

_Wait till Francis hears the good news. I wonder if Lois knew how to use the peachwood chopsticks I sent her. Cost me a bomb._

* * *

Lois gently placed the phone back on the receiver. One of the few times after calling Francis she did that. Placed the phone gently.

_Oh, I forgot to thank her for the incense she sent me, _thought Lois. She will just have to wait until Francis calls back to ask about the baby.

_This is easier than I thought, _Lois chuckled to herself.

_Then there's Reese and Mother…I'll tell mother after the baby is born._

* * *

Reese took out the fresh batch of cookies from the oven, carefully balancing it on two pieces of cloth. He grumbled, thinking of his red and blue oven mittens that Craig had left in the oven when he tried to bake. Sliding each piece carefully onto the cooling rack, he placed the burning hot tray on a wooden board to protect the kitchen counter. He then took another tray of unbaked cookie dough and slid them into the oven. The whole house was a cocoon filld with the aroma of vanilla and chocolate chips.

After resetting the timer, he began to cut out and arrange another set of cookie dough onto the empty oven tray on the wooden board. He then set the tray beside the oven. Taking the other pieces of baked cookies carefully and placing them onto a piece of greasy paper, he dusted them with tiny bits of cinnamon mixed with ginger powder.

"Hmm, something smells good," Craig remarked from his bedroom before peeking into the kitchen, smiling when he saw Reese baking. That was always a good thing.

Stepping into the kitchen, he reached for one of the frosted cookies.

"Don't touch that," Reese snapped, batting his hands away. "They're for Jamie."

"All of them?" Craig asked, eyeing the baked articles hungrily.

"Yes."

"You seem cranky today. Anything you wanna tell me about?" Craig asked distractedly, still eyeing one particularly large cookie that looked like it was taken out straight from a gourmet magazine.

"Mom called," Reese answered in a monotone, his eyes downcast.

"Oh. I understand."

Reese sighed heavily.

"I just….I just thought I'd try to relax. Baking always helped me relax."

"Oh…so she finally told you about the baby?"

"Yeah."

"Don't worry too much. I'm sure she'll be fine. Are you sure I can't try one?" Craig motioned towards the cookies again.

"Fine. Have only one or it'll ruin your dinner," Reese snapped.

Craig took the one he had been eyeing and, munching happily, retreated back into his room.

Reese was just making more cookie dough when he stopped. He just realized something.

"Craig?" he called out.

"Yeah?"

"What do you mean by _finally?"_

* * *

It was like drowning. He knew where he was, what he needed to do, how to do it. But he couldn't. No matter how hard he forced himself to. His mind was in whorl of emotions, each feeling trying to take over but each not strong enough to do so. He seemed to be excited, confused, puzzled and terrified at the same time. It was just too hard. But he still knew it needed to be done. It was either he sort out the mess now or face the music later on anyway.

_**I have to tell Mom about the letter.**_

* * *

****

**That's it folks. Please take the time to review. It's the only way I can get better. People ARE reading but not reviewing. Please do.**


	4. Blues All Around

**Ok, here's the newest one. I've added more of Malcolm's family and less of Malcolm. I find that I really like Lois and Piama and how they interacted in the show. Anyway, updates will take longer now as yours truly had gotten himself a job singing and let me tell you, embarrassing myself in public has never been so much fun. Especially when you're paid to do it D**

* * *

Freddy couldn't believe what he was seeing. Or what he was _hearing_, to be more exact. They were in their room and Malcolm was holding the phone away from his ears at arms length, letting Lois's voice reverberate through the whole room.

"…DARE YOU!!! YOU KNOW HOW HARD IT HAS BEEN TRYING TO FEED ALL YOUR MOUTHS WITH THE MONEY YOUR FATHER AND I MAKE?! AND NOW YOU"VE GONE AND LOST THE ONLY JOB THAT…"

"I still have the bookstore Mom, and the cafeteria duty," quipped Malcolm into the phone, before holding it out again.

"…INTERRUPT ME WHEN I TALK. NOW WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO?! YOUR FATHER AND I ARE NOT SENDING ANY CASH IF THAT'S WHAT YOU THINK YOU ARE GETTING FROM TELLING ME THIS…"

Placing the phone gently onto his desk with a wince, Malcolm crept over to Freddy and sat beside him, Lois's voice still bouncing of the walls.

"You know that it is physically impossible for anyone to scream that loud, right?" Freddy whispered.

Malcolm stared dejectedly at the phone and was mumbling in reply, more to himself than his mother.

"…not my fault. They had to let me go because…"

"…PENNILESS. YOUR FATHER IS GOING TO BE SO DISAPPOINTED IN YOU…"

"…Don't need any money. They gave me three months worth of..."

"…WHAT DOES THIS SAY ABOUT YOU? LOOK AT REESE , ALSO A JANITOR AND HE DOESN'T HAVE ANY PROBLEM KEEPING HIS JOB…"

"… of course, he's the only janitor they have…"

"…NEXT TIME I CALL I EXPECT YOU TO HAVE ANOTHER JOB THAT IS JUST AS RESPECTABLE AND PAY JUST AS MUCH. I DON'T CARE IF YOU HAVE TO GROVEL AND BEG. IF THEY STILL WON'T GIVE YOU A JOB, TELL THEM TO TALK TO ME!"

And with that, the sound of the phone crashing into a receiver marked the descent of a sudden, unearthly silence that blanketed upon the room. Malcolm looked at Freddy, a trace of a smile beginning to take shape on his lips.

**_Now there is no way I can't get a job. Mom will make sure of that._**

"I'd love to meet your Mom some day," croaked Freddy, his face pulled into an expression that can only be described as pure, unadulterated awe.

_**They always say that at first.**_

* * *

****

Francis smiled as he walked into his house, taking in the delicious aroma's wafting in from the kitchen.

"I'm home," he called out.

"I'm in here," replied Piama from the bedroom.

Francis frowned, stopping in his tracks. From the sounds of it, _someone _was definitely in the kitchen cooking up a storm.

_And doing a good job of it too, _Francis thought.

Walking towards his room, the sight that greeted him was enough to make him smile again. Piama was bending down to pick up a pen she had dropped from the floor, her back facing the door.

Francis whistled.

Piama retrieved the pen and made a show of rolling her eyes, the edges of her mouth twitching. She was dressed in an orange, tight fitting t-shirt and a brown colored, knee length skirt.

Leaning in for a quick kiss, Francis couldn't help but notice a peculiar expression on her face.

"I invited Reese over for dinner and he insisted I let him cook," Piama noticed Francis's look of disbelief and continued, "says he needs it to…calm himself down."

"Calm down? Why? What happened?" there was more than a hint of concern in his voice right now.

Anything that was enough to upset Reese to make him prepare dinner for anyone willingly without a bribe or blackmail deserves a certain degree of attention, not to mention a whole truckload of concern.

"I'll tell you over dinner. Reese seems to be going all out Asian tonight," smiled Piama before slipping past him to go to the living room, not catching the worried expression on Francis's face.

_All out Asian…, _Francis thought._ This is definitely not good. Smells great though._

_**

* * *

**_

Reese stirred the curry powder into the saucepan that already contained sautéed onions, garlic, cinnamon sticks and star anise. He then added a little water, making it into a brown paste before adding a dash of paprika.

"Need any help?" chirped Piama behind him. She had called him a few hours ago at noon to ask if he knew more about Lois's condition. He had replied in such a melancholic manner that Piama became concerned enough to invite him over for dinner.

"Nah, I'm fine," replied Reese, his voice cracking from not being used in the last two hours or so, "check the chicken for me will ya?"

Piama peered into the oven where Reese was grilling the chicken parts.

"Looking good. What is it?"

"Chicken."

"I know it's chicken. I mean what are you grilling it with."

Reese sighed. In a monotone, he answered, "The chicken is cut into small parts to quicken the cooking process. It was seasoned with salt, turmeric, fennel seeds and cumin before being grilled in the oven on medium heat. After it is grilled half done, it will be added to this curry I'm making along with red chilies, potatoes, eggplant and carrots to make Malayan style chicken curry. Fresh coconut milk will be added in the last minute to add a creamy texture as well as a more wholesome flavor. Now leave."

"Wow…" muttered Piama as she glanced over his shoulder, ignoring the last two words he said.

"What else are we having?"

Again, Reese answered in a monotone, as if what he was saying had been drilled into him from the moment he could remember, "Basmati rice mixed with coriander, cinnamon, star anise, cardamom, ghee and a couple strings of saffron is being boiled in the rice cooker I brought. It should be ready soon and all I'll need to do is to add the chili oil and cashew nuts. Itwill be eaten with the curry I'm making right now."

Even before Piama can take in all he had said, or the smells emanating from the rice cooker which was at the corner emitting small clouds of steam, Reese began to describe all the dishes he had in store for them.

"After I set the curry to a simmer, I will mix the minced lamb I have with slices of ginger, chopped Chinese mushrooms, cubed potatoes, spring onion, light soy sauce and sesame oil. It will be left to stand for fifteen minutes before I wrap them up in spring roll pastry and deep fry them to a golden crisp. I also have some Shanghai greens for me to stir fry with some garlic, onions, red chilies, prawns seasoned with oyster sauce, salt and a bit of shrimp paste."

"Urm…Reese? I'm not sure if I have-" Piama started, gazing at her pantry with a slightly uncertain look in her eyes.

"I picked up most of it already," Reese huffed before continuing, "For desert, I have mango pudding with cashew and raisins setting in the refrigerator. Later I will scald some water and sugar over high heat and pour it over the pudding to caramelize and sprinkle it with mint. I already boiled the green tea."

Piama stared at Reese with a mixture of wonder and delight in her face before happily proclaiming, "Francis is going to be so happy!!"

Just then, Francis walked into the kitchen but Piama jumped on him without even giving him time to greet his brother.

"Oh Francis," Piama was giddy with excitement, "you won't believe what your brother is doing, he's squeezing the whole of Asia into the menu …" her voice trailed off as she dragged Francis by the arm into the dining area to set the table, "…from India to China and all the bits in between…"

_Don't bet on it, _Reese told Piama inwardly, thinking about his mother. Reese was right. Francis did not know whether to laugh or cry, torn between the news of his mother's pregnancy and Piama's insistence that they get a dog to cover up her lie.

* * *

Dewey sulkily slid into the backseat of the car as Hal opened the front door to let himself in. Jamie was already seated beside him, a small soft toy in his hands he had probably picked up from an unguarded baby pram at the tracks.

For Dewey, it had been one of the lousiest days he had had to experience. Considering his family background, it was saying quite a lot. Of course, he had been excited when his father told him they would be spending the whole day at the racetracks. Jamie, not exactly sure what to expect, had gone along quietly.

But I certainly hadn't planned on watching cars drive around in circles_ for the whole day, _Dewey thought to himself.

Hal had been too engrossed with the tracks to notice his restlessness after the first two hours. And also the fact that Jamie had gone missing after the third. Dewey had spent a good part of the whole day winding through crowds of sweaty, smelly spectators and into stalls and the various restrooms found at the racetrack looking for his little brother.

He had been on the verge of panicking when he overheard a mechanic telling his friend about how a small boy was brought to the medic tent for injuries. Fearing the worst, he had walked all the way across the stands to the white tent only to discover that the boy they were talking about was not Jamie. In fact, he had been on his way back to where he left his father when he heard a commotion behind him. Turning around, he saw Jamie holding out what looked like a large piece of colored cloth to him, running away after Dewey took it. Moments later, a large woman with a large hole in her skirt waddled up angrily to him. Putting two and two together, he had fled.

He ran back to Hal who was carrying Jamie up onto his shoulders, laughing away. When he saw Dewey, he frowned, saying, "I expected better of you Dewey, running around like that without telling me. Good thing Jamie here stayed put or we would all be in a fix."

Sitting in the car, arms crossed up in front of him, Dewey's mood was not getting any better. _I bet I wasn't that much trouble when I was his age._

Jamie who was beside him, staring with large shiny brown eyes, slid closer to him and tried to hug his elder brother.

Dewey smiled faintly, leaning into the hug, before saying, "Don't worry, you'll only be my personal slave for a few more months. I'm still making you tie my shoelaces though."

"Oh, and hugging doesn't work on me and Malcolm. Reese is the one I told you about remember? It'll confuse him so much…"

In the front, Hal was rejoicing. _We should do this more often. I'll bring Lois next time, give her a break._

* * *

**Please……review…...whatever crap………..I'm writing…….**


	5. JackPot

**Okay, I know it's been quite a while since I've posted. My new term is starting soon and then it'll be back to homework and projects and annoying teachers…. Ah well, enjoy this next installment of I Am Me. A Big thank you to those who reviewed the previous chap!! I look forward to more.**

**_JackPoT _**

Laura cringed when she saw Malcolm Wilkerson walking into the café she was working in. She still had not gotten over his last visit two days ago. _I was like a bumbling idiot. _Ever since they met,she only thought of Malcolm as someone she had to compete with, what with him topping almost every class she had with him. She knew he was a school janitor, which had amused her a little in the beginning (she was horrified the first time she walked out of a cubicle to see him mopping the floor). Her roommate Patty had a thing for his roommate. They greet each other in the hallways though she never bothers him when he is working. That was it. They were acquaintances friendly with each other. With maybe a tiny bit of rivalry on her part. Which disturbs her to no end a to why she had acted like she acted when he dropped by for coffee that day.

And it looks like things will not get better unless she could just sneak to the back… too late. He saw her.

"Hi," Malcolm greeted her, smiling uncertainly, his eyes darting to the cloth she was holding.

_And I can hardly blame him, _she thought wryly. _At least it's not on the floor_.

"Hi. Good morning. Coffee?" Laura mentally kicked herself. _Duh. That's why he's here you dumb ass. It's not like he dropped by to see you or anything._

"Yeah."

"Ok. I'll get right on it."

* * *

Malcolm sighed as he watched Laura disappear behind the back door with an empty pot of coffee. For a moment there, he thought she was going to recite the menu to him again.

**_Not that I would have minded that much. She's really cute when she gets all chatty. And when she smiles it was like… what am I saying? I came here for coffee. Coffee. The beverage that keep students sane and alive and homework free. The coffee here is great. That is why I am here. Sure, could use more sugar and cream. Lesser ants would be nice. But that's besides the point._**

Malcolm looked over the café while waiting for his coffee. He spotted the matronly woman who was behind the counter. She was smiling at him, an understanding gleam in her eyes.

_**I hate it when people look at me like that. Bad things always happen.**_

_**

* * *

**_

Reese had the perfect family. He has a mother that dotes on him and a father that understands him. His three best friends were his brothers, Francis, Malcolm and Dewey. Jamie will be one too of course, once his vocabulary is widened. They always spend their time helping the neighbors with chores, after theirs is done of course, and Reese even babysits once in a while, accepting no payment other than snacks and the occasional dinner. He gets along well with all the children he takes care of. They look to him like one looks to an older brother, someone who gives them good advice. Reese treats every single one of them with respect and dignity and they love him for it.

They live in a modest suburban house, with a perfectly kept lawn that Reese or Malcolm helps to mow every other week. Their whole neighborhood looks up to his family, his father being quite the socialite and his mother making the best oatmeal cookies in town.

Of course, being popular does give Reese a lot of attention, especially from the boys he babysits. They often come over to his house for a chat or to ask for advice for problems they face or caused. Reese was only too happy to oblige. He loved all the boys like his own brothers. He sometimes wished he had more younger brothers. Imagine how happy he was when his mother got pregnant-

"AAAARRRRRRGGGHHHHHH!!!!!!!!"

Silence. Everything was dark. Thumps and footsteps began making their way to his room and the door opens and the room suddenly lights up.

"What happened? Reese? Are you okay?" asked a very sleepy but very tired looking Craig.

Reese was breathing heavily. Beads of perspiration dotted his forehead and torso. His face was pale and eyes still wide with shock.

"Yeah," he managed to croak, "just a nightmare."

* * *

Hal stared at the lottery ticket he had bought yesterday and compared it to the numbers on the screen, eyes as wide as saucers, mouth wide open in disbelief. He could hardly believe his luck.

"Oh my god I won third place…," he whispered, before whirling around to see if anyone had heard him.

Which was rather unnecessary considering he was in his own living room.

Barely able to control his excitement, he began to mentally check off a list in his head of all the things the family needed.

"… new shutters, new pipes, new TV…" he mumbled

He then frowned.

_Malcolm would never have to work through college. He would be able to concentrate on his studies and spend more time making new friends…_

…_OR WE COULD GO ON A HOLIDAY!!! OVERSEAS!!!_

Unable to hold back the torrent of delirium running through his veins, he jumped up and began shrieking excitedly.

"YES! YES! YES!"

**_

* * *

_**

"Certainly not!" Lois said, pulling up the blanket to cover her legs. They were getting ready for bed.

"But Lois, come on. We've been dreaming of something like this happening to us for years and-,"

"Yes but not to go on holiday to some malaria infested place that's gonna get us all sick! We have debts Hal and we need to pay them off first-,"

"But the rest?" it came out in a hopeful whimper.

"Will be divided between the house, the new baby and the kids. We need to be more responsible-,"

" But..but…Lois you are not thinking about this properly. Imagine yourself on the beach somewhere in the Bahamas sipping a coconut juice-,"

Lois snapped, "I've never liked coconut juice. Hal! Remember that time when you took Malcolm's scholarship money? That was ten grand wasted and-,"

"We paid him back," Hal cringed, knowing he was losing and was losing badly. He still felt bad about the incident. He felt worse about not getting the boat.

" We paid him back three thousand dollars, Hal. We shortchanged our own son by seven thousand dollars and now is the time to make up for what happened. We need to live by a certain set of values, we need to set an example for the children-,"

" The children don't even know about that scholarship thing-,"

"Dewey does!"

"And we both know he will support my choice-,"

" And that is why we need to do the right thing, so he would know your decision is wrong."

"But-,"

"Hal."

"Yes dear."

* * *

Dewey smiled. It was better than he thought. Quietly, he got up to his feet and tiptoed his way back to his room.

_Blackmail, _he thought happily.

* * *

"Give me twenty percent of the money won or Malcolm will receive an anonymous email regarding the ten thousand dollar incident."

Hal stared at his second youngest son incredulously.

"What?!"

"You heard me. It was your idea, if my memory is correct, to spend that scholarship of his on-,"

"You bought yourself a Rolex!"

"… and I'm sure he would be interested to know what you wanted to buy. As a responsible adult, dad, you really should set a good example. Besides-,"

"You promised you won't tell!" Hal was not at all angry. He was merely hysterical.

Dewey sighed, "I was young and stupid, unable to think through decisions that were made in the spur of the moment."

Seeing Hal's shell-shocked face, Dewey smiled.

"Don't worry Dad. I'll settle for fifteen percent. We're family after all."

Hal found the statement too ironic to say anything.

Giving Hal another bright smile, Dewey went back into his room, leaving Hal standing in the living room, still reeling from his son's proposal.

* * *

"…and then we used to throw stuff at the other houses. It was the best I'm telling ya. Maybe I can show you how to work a catapult someday…" Dewey loved telling Jamie of the past, the days he now refers to as 'The Golden Days', especially before bed. He thought the only way he could be a good brother to Jamie was to share with him his past experiences.

Jamie was not as enthusiastic.

"Shut up!" he shouted, clamping his eyes close.

"You know, I think those were my first words too. Malcolm, yeah he was always my favorite but, well, Reese was more funny…"

"Shut up! I wanna sleep!"

"That's exactly what they use to scream at me too! Glad to know some things never change-,"

Jamie was too tired to say anything.

"By the way, don't tell anyone this but dad won third place in the state lottery. Didn't catch how much he won though exactly though, but it must be a huge sum of money, enough for truckloads of candy…" Dewey trailed off, sleep overpowering him.

Jamie's eyes snapped open.

* * *

Piama pushed her shopping cart down the isle, choosing between the variety of cans she found staring back at her.

"Pedigree? Maybe Chums… for extra shiny fur? Wonder if they have any for humans…" she mused, "maybe Breeder's Choice, all natural..."

* * *

**Might not be able to update for awhile, starting school and god knows where my homework is right now. In the meantime, please review and tell me, please, what's wrong with this fic, or what's right. In other words please review. Might help me update faster. Hahas.**


End file.
